Pacing for AoPS Pre-A?

[Halcyon]

We are going as slowly, or quickly, as my son wants to and is able at this point, but just curious about how long people take to get thru a chapter. I _think_ Chapter One is one of e longer chapters, not sure.

[~Anna~]

I was just thinking about this too. We just started this yesterday and worked for over an hour and only got through section 1.3. Interested to see what others say.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

:bigear:

We are not using Pre-Algebra but the Algebra book (so this may or may not help)and ds has been trying to work on a section a day but sometimes it has to be split to 2 days. We really need to get through this book in a year since he is in HS.

 

When I assign the days lesson I look at how many actual problems he has to work in the problem section and how complicated they are. Then I look at how many problems in the exercise section. Based on these I will either give him the entire section or break it up. The review section will always be broken into 2 days, not counting the challenge problems (we work these together on another day).

[Luckymama]

When I assign the days lesson I look at how many actual problems he has to work in the problem section and how complicated they are. Then I look at how many problems in the exercise section. Based on these I will either give him the entire section or break it up. The review section will always be broken into 2 days, not counting the challenge problems (we work these together on another day).

 

I did the same for PreAlgebra and Algebra last year (she did half of the Algebra 1 portion then) and am continuing for the rest of Algebra and for Counting and Probability.

 

Dd usually does go through the sections more quickly than I plan. I let her work until she says "all done." Sometimes that will be halfway through a section, sometimes after one section, sometimes a section and a half (today), sometimes two sections.

 

I schedule two days for the review and challenge sections, then let her work through them at her own pace. This last chapter she did all of them in one day.

 

I am going to reuse some of the review and challenge problems (some as written, some changed a bit) as midterm and final questions.

[Halcyon]

When you say "section" you mean, for example, Section 1.4 Negation? So that includes the reading, the first set of problems (the "discovery" ones), and the second set of problems, and then the exercises? Would this encompass "one section" according to how you ladies are defining it? Trying to figure out how to "chunk this out" for my son.

[Luckymama]

When you say "section" you mean, for example, Section 1.4 Negation? So that includes the reading, the first set of problems (the "discovery" ones), and the second set of problems, and then the exercises? Would this encompass "one section" according to how you ladies are defining it? Trying to figure out how to "chunk this out" for my son.

 

Yes exactly :001_smile: I think your son will find a rhythm in the next few weeks, but for now just watch his enthusiasm and frustration levels day-to-day.

[~Anna~]

Sounds like we are doing ok then. We did through section 1.5 today, so all of that in 2 days.

[Halcyon]

Yes exactly :001_smile: I think your son will find a rhythm in the next few weeks, but for now just watch his enthusiasm and frustration levels day-to-day.

 

Thanks. He was fine today. He LOVES the Aha! Moment when he gets something, but still learning how to accept that answers wont always come easily.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

When you say "section" you mean, for example, Section 1.4 Negation? So that includes the reading, the first set of problems (the "discovery" ones), and the second set of problems, and then the exercises? Would this encompass "one section" according to how you ladies are defining it? Trying to figure out how to "chunk this out" for my son.

Yes. I am assuming Pre-Algebra is set up the same as Algebra. If it is a section consists of the introduction problems, the explanation and answering of the problems, then the exercises.

[Halcyon]

Yes. I am assuming Pre-Algebra is set up the same as Algebra. If it is a section consists of the introduction problems, the explanation and answering of the problems, then the exercises.

 

It seems some sections have more than one set of problems before the Exercises part, though.

[regentrude]

We are not using Pre-Algebra but the Algebra book (so this may or may not help)and ds has been trying to work on a section a day but sometimes it has to be split to 2 days. We really need to get through this book in a year since he is in HS.

 

 

Are you aware that the typical high school algebra 1 course only consist of the material taught in chapters 1 through 12 or 13?

If you get through these, you have done a rigorous algebra 1 course. The rest of the book are topics typically covered in algebra 2.

Doing the whole book takes most students longer than one school year. My DD made it in one year plus summer, but DS is splitting it up into two years.

[Tasia]

Ds is only on Chapter 3, but so far he's been doing about a section per day. Looking back through his notebook, there were two days where he finished two sections in a day (1.2/1.3 and 2.2/2.3), while section 2.4 took two days. He's been spending between an hour and two per day, but he practices his slapshot in between problems. :D

[Halcyon]

Ds is only on Chapter 3, but so far he's been doing about a section per day. Looking back through his notebook, there were two days where he finished two sections in a day (1.2/1.3 and 2.2/2.3), while section 2.4 took two days. He's been spending between an hour and two per day, but he practices his slapshot in between problems. :D

 

Thanks Tazzie. My son is doing one section over two days, but i want to ease him into it. He only spends about 30 minutes a day on Aops. Hopefully his stamina will increase!:001_smile:

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Are you aware that the typical high school algebra 1 course only consist of the material taught in chapters 1 through 12 or 13?

If you get through these, you have done a rigorous algebra 1 course. The rest of the book are topics typically covered in algebra 2.

Doing the whole book takes most students longer than one school year. My DD made it in one year plus summer, but DS is splitting it up into two years.

yes, but thanks. I am counting this book as Algebra 2 on his transcript (he is military bound, not college). He needed the review of Algebra 1 the way AOPS is teaching it so I do not feel like he is wasting time going over Algebra 1 material again and it will help with the Algebra 2 material. If we continue at the pace he is going we should finish in a year. We will do the Geometry next year. His senior year I am a little worried about, not sure what book to use.

[Mukmuk]

We just started Intro to Algebra. With some initial hiccups, DS is suddenly moving smoothly from the end of Chapter 1. He's at 2.3 now. It takes about 1-2 days to finish each section. When he has problems, we move between the Pre-alg book and Alcumus, so I expect his speed to drop as we move forward in time.

 

Yup, expecting to finish the entire book in perhaps 2-2.5 years. At the moment, wondering if he should take a break after Chap12/13 to add geometry to the progression. But that's some time away!

[Halcyon]

We just started Intro to Algebra. With some initial hiccups, DS is suddenly moving smoothly from the end of Chapter 1. He's at 2.3 now. It takes about 1-2 days to finish each section. When he has problems, we move between the Pre-alg book and Alcumus, so I expect his speed to drop as we move forward in time.

 

Yup, expecting to finish the entire book in perhaps 2-2.5 years. At the moment, wondering if he should take a break after Chap12/13 to add geometry to the progression. But that's some time away!

 

Thanks for chiming in :)

[ShellChelle]

My daughter is working at a snail's pace through pre-a, only just now on the section in chapter 1 on reciprocals. I would like her to pick up the pace, but she's the type of kid who refuses to race through material.

 

Usually, she'll work on a section for about 30 minutes and watch any of the accompanying videos. The days where she has to work on the exercises might take a little longer, depending on the number of problems there are.

 

I wasn't aware that the Intro to Alg book included Alg 2 after chapter 13. That's good to know!

[Halcyon]

My daughter is working at a snail's pace through pre-a, only just now on the section in chapter 1 on reciprocals. I would like her to pick up the pace, but she's the type of kid who refuses to race through material.

 

Usually, she'll work on a section for about 30 minutes and watch any of the accompanying videos. The days where she has to work on the exercises might take a little longer, depending on the number of problems there are.

 

I wasn't aware that the Intro to Alg book included Alg 2 after chapter 13. That's good to know!

 

Well my son actually did the reciprocal section in one go, but that's a first! I fully expect his pace to vary depending on the subject...the weather....his mood....:D

[daijobu]

We are going as slowly, or quickly, as my son wants to and is able at this point, but just curious about how long people take to get thru a chapter. I _think_ Chapter One is one of e longer chapters, not sure.

 

I've actually been keeping track. :-D

 

chapter 1--3 weeks (but we went WAY too fast through this. I'll take longer with dd#2)

chapter 2--6 weeks

chapter 3--7 weeks

chapter 4--5 weeks

 

...we're on chapter 5 now. I expect we'll take over a year to finish the book.

[Tasia]

Hmm. Now you have me wondering if ds is going too fast. He isn't watching the videos - do you think these are essential?

[daijobu]

Hmm. Now you have me wondering if ds is going too fast. He isn't watching the videos - do you think these are essential?

 

Videos are not essential, but fun to watch and nice to have around to reinforce concepts.

 

Go at your ds's own pace, not my dd's. ;-D

 

As long as he is doing all the problems and understanding the solutions, there's no need to slow down to our snail's pace, LOL!

[Arcadia]

He isn't watching the videos - do you think these are essential?

 

The videos are not essential but my boys enjoy them and so do I :)

[HeidiKC]

We started out trying to do an entire section each day - the practice problems, videos and excercises. It was just too much on some days that were really long. So I figured that if we work 4 days/week and split each section into 2 days, that should work out well for the school year - I think maybe a total of 168 days or something like that.

 

So our play now is to work 4 days/week, and for each section:

 

Day 1: read/work though beginning of section including practice problems. Depending on how much time this takes (and how many problems for exercises) watch videos this day. Or save until Day 2 if that works better

 

Day 2: Watch Video if haven't already, do exercises.

 

So we should get through 2 sections/week.

[Tasia]

The videos are not essential but my boys enjoy them and so do I :)

Thanks, I'll get him to give them a try this week. :)

[Halcyon]

I am finding my son is able to move more quickly now that he has had a couple of weeks of aops under his belt. Anyone else noticing this? There seems to be a "transition" period.